Abe: Japan won't apologise again for WWII sex slaves
TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday Japan will not apologise again for forcing women to act as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers in World War II even if a U.S. House of Representatives resolution demanding an apology is adopted.
But Abe said he stood by a 1993 Japanese government apology that acknowledged that the military played a role in setting up and managing wartime brothels and that coercion was used.
"I have to say that even if the resolution passes, that doesn't mean we will apologise," Abe told a parliamentary panel, reiterating the government stance that the U.S. resolution contains factual errors.
Abe has said since becoming prime minister last September that he stands by the 1993 apology, a statement he repeated on Monday. This has disappointed many of his conservative supporters who shared his past criticism of the statement.
But last week, Abe sparked a fierce reaction from South Korea when he appeared to question the degree to which physical coercion was involved in recruiting the women for the brothels.
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But Abe said he stood by a 1993 Japanese government apology that acknowledged that the military played a role in setting up and managing wartime brothels and that coercion was used.
"I have to say that even if the resolution passes, that doesn't mean we will apologise," Abe told a parliamentary panel, reiterating the government stance that the U.S. resolution contains factual errors.
Abe has said since becoming prime minister last September that he stands by the 1993 apology, a statement he repeated on Monday. This has disappointed many of his conservative supporters who shared his past criticism of the statement.
But last week, Abe sparked a fierce reaction from South Korea when he appeared to question the degree to which physical coercion was involved in recruiting the women for the brothels.